Trying to Balance it All One Day at a Time... While Still Wearing Pearls

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

RIP Nancy (AKA Ode to Ivey)

This is my friend Ivey (aka Nancy Ivey Slaughter)

The story how Ivey and I became friends is one of my favorites!! And please let me go ahead and apologize to Ivey...she is the first friend who is going to get picked on now that I figured out how to work my scanner.

I remember it like it was just yesterday, (too bad it was almost 9 years ago). It was July, 2002 and I was at freshmen orientation with my dad at Ole Miss. My high school friend had just decided she wasn't going to attend Ole Miss with me in the fall and I was now short a roommate.

I already had my dorm assignment in Dorothy "Crosby" Hall and for orientation weekend, they had a model room open. My dad and I were in the model room taking measurements of the shelves, I took pictures with my disposable camera of the room and him and I were in a full depth conversation on what we needed to bring to get my dorm room situated. As other soon-to-be freshmen entered the room, I noticed one lady observing me counting how many book shelves there were in the room, I didn't think too much of it cause it seemed that everyone was looking at the crazy girl with the tape measure.
All of a sudden, the women came over and started to speak to me. I was so surprised and nervous and I had a hard time understanding what she was saying to me...finally I uttered something.

"I'm sorry??" The woman repeated...
"Do you have a roommate?"
"A roommate?" I thought. I'm bad on the spot. And I spit out the honest answer,
"No, I don't"
"Would you like to be my daughters roommate" and in that same sentence, she reached behind her and pushed her daughter in my direction. The shy girl was in just as much shock as I was and held up her hand to give me a little wave.
"Uh, sure" I said. The next thing I knew, my dad and I were on our way to the residency office to seal the deal. My dad had mentioned the option of just driving off and not showing up...school was only a few short weeks away and I'd have my own room to myself. I'm certainly glad I didn't take good ol dad's advice.

Our first picture together

My freshmen year experience would NOT have been the same without Ivey. She is STILL one of the most amazing people I've ever met and one of my great friends.

Of course I had a couple of stipulations if Ivey wanted to move in with me. I laid all my cards on the table, "So I'm obsessed with the color purple, everything I have is purple, you don't have to get purple stuff if you don't want to, but I'm not getting anything else". The sweet thing she is showed up with a purple comforter =)
And just to run down memory lane, here are a few pics of our dorm room:

My side is on the left.

My book shelf. My dad and I brought in a piece of ply wood so I'd have an extra shelf to put frames on. I still to this day LOVE picture frames and I love having pictures everywhere.

Ivey on her side.

But this blog post isn't to torture Ivey about freshmen year, it's to share her BEAUTIFUL wedding with you.

I was absolutely honored to be apart of Ivey's wedding. Some college roommates drift and go their seperate ways...we do our own thing, but still talk a hand full of times each week. I can always expect my phone to ring around 5:04 p.m. (just in time for me to be out of work and in my car) and see that Ivey is calling me. Even Brian knows if I don't answer my phone when I get off work, its because I'm on the other line with her. And now that she lives in Nashville, I get to see her a few times a year. Sometimes I get really really lucky and see her twice in one month or back to back months!

The wedding was in her hometown of Cartersville, Georgia and we started the weekend off with manis and pedis

Our adopted roomie, Lauren, is on the far left...but she will get her own Ode later ;)
Then we headed to the Bridesmaid Luncheon at her cute country club. We couldn't have asked for better weather.

Aren't these flowers beautiful??? Oh, and her bridesmaid invitations were Lilly, my fav

Ah rats, I don't know how to turn it the right way. Sorry Ivey!!

And how could I not post a pic of Ivey and her mama?? She was of course the ultimate match maker =)

My Roomies!! The first time we'd all been together in almost 3 years!

Ivey and her SIL, Lesley (sister-in-law). By the end of the week, Lesley was my new BFF.

I love this picture. One of the greatest parts of your wedding weekend is having some of the greatest friends a girl could ask for all in the same place. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did =)

Next up, the rehearsal.

I was trying really hard to concentrate and not mess anything up.

Ivey has the sweetest dad.

Lauren and I got to be roomies again for the weekend. It was just like old times...

And of course I had to give a speech!!! I just HAD to tell everyone how wonderful Ivey was, and how we met and I got to thank Martha (the MOB) for introducing me to such a great friendship that I wouldn't have had without her help. I do think the end of my speech consisted of me telling Luke if he ever did anything bad...I'd hunt him down. Sorry, that's just how I feel about my Nano, only the best for her.

We did what most people do after a rehearsal dinner

Get a few drinks at the local hang out

(The groom in a roomie sandwhich)

Find a stray kitten and sneak it back to your hotel...

That's my Howie, sleeping with Auntie Lauren. He was just so cute and so scared at the bar...I couldn't just leave him??? Now I will always have something to remember Luke and Ivey's special weekend....hence why Howie's middle name is Carter (the wedding was in Cartersville, get it??)

Ok...I'm getting kind of tired. I will finish the wedding pics tomorrow, but I'll leave Ivey hanging by a thread with this pic.

About Me

Please join me on my never ending quest for fun, family, friends, Lilly, monograms, organization, cleaning, party planning, decorating thrifting, DIYing, saving & earning pennies all while being a full time working new mommy. Oh and there will be tons of cute baby pics along the way.
I've certainly been motivated by reading other peoples blogs and hope you find something here to jump start you in the right direction! Enjoy!